Pressure sewer systems involve the use of a fluid reservoir, such as a tank, buried in the ground to receive sewerage from a dwelling or building. Such pressure sewer systems rely on a pump within the fluid reservoir to pump fluid out of the reservoir and into a reticulated sewer system comprising fluid conduits to transport the sewerage to a suitable processing station. Such pressure sewer systems are generally installed in locations where gravity cannot be adequately relied on as the impetus for transporting the waste fluid within the sewer network.
The pressure sewer systems rely on proper functioning of the pump in combination with a float switch to avoid the fluid reservoir becoming too full and overflowing. Where the pump does not operate properly to evacuate the waste fluid from the fluid reservoir, this can lead to an undesirable overflow and/or leakage of sewerage from the fluid reservoir. This overflow can be a very unpleasant experience for the inhabitants of the dwelling and such inhabitants will commonly contact the organisation responsible for maintenance of the sewer system in order to rectify the problem. In such situations, because the organisation responsible for maintenance of the sewerage system learns about the malfunction from the complainants, there can be a delay before appropriate personnel can be dispatched to address the problem and before an appropriate solution is implemented. Not only do such situations result in significant dissatisfaction on the part of the inhabitants that the pressure sewer system is intended to serve, the leakage of the system presents possible public health and safety issues and reflects badly on the organisation responsible for the system's maintenance and proper function.
It is desired to address or ameliorate one or more shortcomings of prior pressure sewer systems, or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.